Setting up in France: 3 steps to get started right

Setting up in France can look complex from abroad. In practice, with the right support, the first steps are clear and quick.

1. Choose the right structure

Most foreign groups pick a subsidiary (SAS), which limits the parent’s liability and offers flexible governance.

A subsidiary is not the only option. A branch lets you operate without creating a separate company, but the parent is then liable for all French debts; a liaison office is lighter still, but cannot carry out any commercial activity. As soon as there are clients and revenue in France, the SAS subsidiary remains the most common choice.

On capital: French law sets no minimum for an SAS, so 1 euro is enough in theory. In practice, a very low capital makes the bank account harder to open and worries clients and landlords. Most foreign groups deposit between 1,000 and 10,000 euros, more if the activity needs working capital.

2. Open an account and deposit the capital

Opening a French bank account and depositing the capital are prerequisites for registration. This is often the longest step.

Why is this the longest step? Because the bank has to identify the foreign shareholder: the parent company’s bylaws, its register of beneficial owners, directors’ IDs, often translated and sometimes apostilled. For a shareholder outside the European Union, several weeks of back and forth are not unusual.

Two habits save time: prepare that identification file before you approach the bank, and do not limit yourself to traditional banks. Once the funds are deposited, the bank (or the notary) issues the certificate of capital deposit, the document most often missing from registration files.

3. Register the company

Once the file is complete, registration through the Guichet Unique is quick. Your company is then ready to operate in France.

Registration happens online through the Guichet Unique run by the INPI, which forwards the file to the commercial court registry, the tax office and the social bodies. You then receive the SIREN number, the Kbis extract (the company’s "identity card") and, a few weeks later, the intra-community VAT number issued by the tax office.

A few post-registration formalities remain: activating the professional account on impots.gouv.fr, taking out the compulsory insurance policies and, from the first hire, filing the social declarations. The declaration of beneficial owners is made directly in the Guichet Unique file.

How long does it take?

Timelines depend mostly on how responsive the bank is and how complex the shareholding is. As a guide:

SAS or SARL: the comparison

The choice of legal form depends on your project. Here are the main differences:

Example of a registration file

Documents to gather:
- Signed bylaws
- Certificate of capital deposit
- Registered office address (lease or domiciliation)
- Director’s ID
- Declaration of non-conviction

Once these documents are ready, registration is done online through the Guichet Unique.

One last choice shapes everything that follows: the registered office address and the accountant who will look after the company. The criteria that matter for a foreign company are covered in our guide to choosing an accountant in France.